The 12-team College Football Playoff is new for everyone; administrators, players, coaches, and yes, even fans. And the bracket is proving tough to navigate, not just for the top four seeds, which were all eliminated in the CFP quarterfinals, but for the fans of the teams still left playing for a national championship.
With a win over Oregon in the Rose Bowl, Ohio State clinched its spot in the Cotton Bowl CFP semifinal against Texas; played on Friday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. So then why did Penn State beat reported Johnny McGonigal run into Buckeyes fans on Thursday ahead of the Nittany Lion’s Orange Bowl contest with Notre Dame at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida? They just got confused in Year 1 of a brand-new system.
Just ran into Ohio State fans in the hotel elevator. They misread the bracket and thought Ohio State would be playing in the Orange Bowl. They’ll be at Penn State-Notre Dame tonight.
— Johnny McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) January 9, 2025
According to McGonigal, the fans appeared to be students, which isn’t the best endorsement for that school in Columbus. College kids making a boneheaded mistake on winter break isn’t a shock to anyone, but the biggest surprise is that these fans didn’t cut bait, sell their tickets, and either buy some for the Cotton Bowl or if it was too late to enjoy a few days in Miami with some extra cash in their pockets. I mean, who could they possibly be rooting for in this matchup?
Well, McGonigal was too stunned by their presence to get an answer to that question, but if he did it may have been tough for Penn State fans to swallow. Ryan Day is a perfect 6-0 against James Franklin and the Nittany Lions since taking over for Urban Meyer, and Franklin is an embarrassing 1-10 in 11 tries against the Buckeyes. Day’s Buckeyes beat Notre Dame in 2023, but of course, Ohio State fans want to see Penn State in the national championship. I guess these fans just wanted to get a sneak peek.